The Best Investment

There has been a lot of drama in the stock market in recent months. The drama is to be expected because of unpredictable market forces and a global pandemic.

Who could have pre-empted the impact of the COVID pandemic on city ‘buy-to-let’ properties as many chose to give up their rentals to save money?

We need to think about spending less and earning, saving, and investing more for a more financially secure future.

Today, I want to focus on investing in something with a sure return. It is what I see as the best investment you will ever make and I will make my case for why that is.

It is not just investing in something, it is investing in someone. The best investment …….. is in yourself. It pays the best dividends and gives the most amazing yields.

So why do I think investing in yourself is the best investment?

Firstly you can depend on yourself to follow through. You can’t always control other people’s actions and other factors, but you can control your own actions, choices and words.

Secondly your investment in self will impact all areas of your life and other investments that you have – financial, relationships and others.

Investments in others is a great idea but firstly, you need to figure out the right investment and people to end up with the right outcomes. It’s all about focusing your actions on the right things at the right time to get the right results.

Imagine starting a business you know nothing about; without first investing in your own knowledge about the business, would you be surprised if the business failed? All outside investments must start with internal investment in self.

So how do we do this? Here are three things you can do:

Invest in all parts of yourself

We are spirit, soul, mind, and body; and we must invest in all parts of who we are are to become fully rounded and ready to take on what life throws at us and maximise every opportunities that are available to us.

Spiritual investment helps you to know who you are in your Creator’s eyes, and discover and fulfil your purpose to become who you were created to be.

Investments in your mind and body (health) help you to be physically, mentally, emotionally and psychologically healthy as you go through life.

You have one body to live in throughout your time on earth so investing in it is necessary to fully achieve your other goals.

Invest in knowledge

You stop growing when you stop learning, so we must be willing to continue to invest in our education. We live in a world that is constantly changing; skills soon become outdated, and technology is fast changing.

To remain relevant, we must be open to some of these new knowledge. This is not a call to agree with every ‘new knowledge’ but it is acknowledging that ways of working and doing business are changing.

Your income security will be dependent on your willingness to grow to match your industry. The right knowledge will help you.  

Have a to do list and make sure you’re a priority on it

There’s a Nigerian proverb that says, ‘you don’t carry someone else’s luggage on your head and carry yours on your shoulders’.

The reason for this is that your shoulders will get tired quicker than your head would; guess which ‘ball’ you will drop first? This is not to say you shouldn’t help people but it’s encouraging us not to lose sight of ourselves in a bid to please others.

Another way to look at this is to make sure you are on your own ‘to-do’ list. Don’t fill your days with tasks without taking a moment for your self – to connect spiritually, educate your mind or take care of your body.

If you’re not careful some people will, unapologetically, call the shot on your time and resources for their own purposes, not caring about yours at all.

Thanks for reading my post. Remember to invest in yourself going forward. See you next week.